By Duncan Mackay

Chengdu UIPM Press Conference April 16 2013April 16 - The Pierre de Coubertin Modern Pentathlon Stadium in Chengdu will host the third round of the UIPM World Cup event this week. 


The state-of-the-art facilities in China will help showcase a sport which has been revitalised by the decision of the International Olympic Committee Executive Board to retain it among the 26 core sports after Rio 2016. 

"The rule changes will help modern pentathlon," said Shiny Fang, general secretary of the UIPM. 

"We have worked very hard to make it more attractive for spectators.

"The laser shooting and combined event make the time much shorter, five hours, this is what makes it very exciting". 

Britain's Nick Woodbridge, who will be among the top men competing in the event on Saturday (April 20), praised the facilities in Chengdu. 

"For a World Cup Series level event, this is one is so well organised," he said. 

"For us, it is great to have all the venues in one place.

"The athletes really enjoy coming here.".

On offer will be valuable ranking points which will help towards the World Cup Series Final in Nizhny Novgorod between May 31 and June 2. 

A total of 23 nations expected to take part in Chengdu with 68 men and 57 women set to battle it out in the qualifying events tomorrow and Thursday (April 18).

Hosts China will have 26 athletes competing.

Laura Asadauskaite wins London 2012Lithuania's Laura Asadauskaite celebrates winning the Olympic gold medal at London 2012

Lithuania's Olympic gold medallist Laura Asadauskaite will be the outstanding favourite among the women after she came second at the second World Cup event in Rio de Janeiro last month, her first competition since her triumph at London 2012.

In the men's draw, the competition should be wide open, especially after Russia's Aleksandr Lesun, the world number one, but struggled in Rio. 

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